MDA's Test and Drive facility in Bnei Brak
MDA's Test and Drive facility in Bnei BrakMagen David Adom spokesperson

Magen David Adom announced today (Thursday), that since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak (February 24), MDA teams have sampled 1,142,353 people. The samples where performed at a variety of sites, nationwide, in private homes, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes as part of the “Protecting Fathers and Mothers” project, educational institutions, and in MDA Drive and Test facilities.

Last week (27.8-2.9) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Home Front Command and the HMOs, MDA EMTs and paramedics have sampled 88,489. 6,431 samples were taken in people’s homes and 29,554 at MDA's Drive and Test facilities.

According to MDA data, since the coronavirus outbreak 229,799 samples were taken in people's homes and in schools.

312,876 samples were taken at MDA's Drive and Test facilities operating in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Home Front Command and HMOs. Of those, 51,791 were sampled in Ganey Yehoshuah inTel Aviv, 48,826 in Teddy complex in Jerusalem, 14,968 in Haifa, 12,768 in Hadera, 10,292 in Kfar Sava and 9,488 in Beer Sheva. In addition, as needed, Magen David Adom operates additional Drive and Test complexes throughout the country.

MDA is continuing to operate the Drive and Test facilities, whilst also carrying out testing in nursing homes and long term care facilities throughout the country. In addition, as needed, MDA teams will sample those who are home-bound and have a referral for the test.

To date, MDA sampled 3,299 travelers who returned to Israel from abroad at a special stand in Ben Gurion airport.

In addition, MDA Paramedics have taken 3,000 serological tests, and evacuated thousands of confirmed patients from their home for hospitalization.

MDA's 101 Emergency Call Centers also show a significant increase in citizen inquiries, which reached 14,447 calls a day this week, an increase of about 240% compared to a routine day.

Along with taking hundreds of thousands of samples for coronavirus, MDA blood services continue to collect plasma from those who have recovered from the coronavirus for the treatment of severely ill patients and the production of a passive vaccine. To date, those who have recovered from coronavirus have donated approximately 6,687 plasma units. 1,338 units have been given to 669 coronavirus patients in moderate and severe condition (2 units each).

MDA is continuing its activity of samplingin cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Home Front Command and the four HMOs and carrying out verified patients’ transfers to hospitalization, all in addition to the organization’s routine and emergency activities.